Until recently, Stewart Lee was still flogging his own DVDs in the foyer after
his shows, but a couple of BBC2 series of Stewart Lee’s Comedy Vehicle and a pair of 2011 British Comedy Awards have taken him on to the next level, a state of affairs that doesn’t sit entirely comfortably with this most contrary of standups.
On Carpet Remnant World ★★★★★, Lee brilliantly plays off this awkward dichotomy, dividing his audience into those who ‘get’ his multi-layered deconstructionism and those who are only there because they’ve seen him on the telly, explaining to them: ‘I’m so good at stand-up, I make it look as if I can’t do it.’
The show’s thrust is that Lee is devoid of material, since he spends his days either driving up and down motorways to gigs or watching Scooby Doo with his young son. So he’s taken to cruising London’s North Circular in the vain hope that something funny will happen, thereby neatly mocking the observational style of comedy favoured by so many successful stand-ups.
Only Lee could get away with writing a show about not having a show, but he pulls all the threads together with such understated aplomb that you can’t help but marvel at his utterly distinct approach. Really, it’s ridiculously good.
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Pudabaya, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
Borathigh5, Youtube
Borathigh5, Youtube
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
FBC, finalgear.com
FBC, finalgear.com
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Slothy Matt, Twitter
John Robins, Comedian
John Robins, Comedian
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
A D Ward, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Etienne, Chortle.com
Etienne, Chortle.com
Tin Frog, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Chez, Chortle.com
Chez, Chortle.com
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Danazawa, Youtube
Danazawa, Youtube
Guest1001, Youtube
Guest1001, Youtube
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Anamatronix, Youtube
Anamatronix, Youtube
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Joycey, readytogo.net
Joycey, readytogo.net
Stuart, Chortle
Stuart, Chortle
Brighton Argus
Brighton Argus
Wharto15, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Al Murray, Comedian
Al Murray, Comedian
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
98rosjon, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
Jamespearse, Twitter
Jamespearse, Twitter
Richard Herring, Comedian
Richard Herring, Comedian
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Anon, westhamonline.com
Anon, westhamonline.com
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Peter Ould, Youtube
Peter Ould, Youtube
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Idrie, Youtube
Idrie, Youtube
GRTak, finalgear.com
GRTak, finalgear.com
Tokyofist, Youtube
Tokyofist, Youtube
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Z-factor, Twitter.
Z-factor, Twitter.
Keilloh, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Bosco239, youtube
Bosco239, youtube
Sidsings000, Youtube
Sidsings000, Youtube
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Funday’schild, youtube.
Funday’schild, youtube.
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Meninblack, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
Mpf1947, Youtube
Mpf1947, Youtube
Kozzy06, Youtube
Kozzy06, Youtube
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
World Without End, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Mearecate, Youtube
Mearecate, Youtube
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Hiewy, Youtube
Hiewy, Youtube
Rudeness, Youtube
Rudeness, Youtube
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter